Last for boots and shoes.



No. 659,754. Patente oct. I6, |900. F. c. H. c. MLLER.

LAST- FOR BOOTS 0R SHOES.l

(Application led Oct. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

I 555%@ fm/Mm l Nirn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND CARL HEINRICH CHRISTIAN MLLER, OE ALTONA, GERMANY.

LAST FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

I SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N o. 659,754, dated October 16, 1900.

Application iiled October 5, 1899.

Serial No. 732,658. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, FERDINAND CARL HEIN- RICH CHRISTIAN MLLER, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at Altona, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Grer-A man-Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to lasts for boots and shoes; and it has special reference to a last in which the lower or soleportion is connected to the upper or wedge portion by a latch in such a manner that the two parts can be readily attached and then readily separated by a hand-tool, and at the same time the parts cannot separate themselves, thereby preventing untimely or accidental displacement or separation, from which arrangement new and superior results can be obtained. Further, by my improvements thesecure attachment of both parts of the last is always present, whether in or out of use, thus avoiding the loss or confusion of parts, especially where lasts in large numbers are used.

My invention therefore consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and more fully pointed out in the claims, an embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of the sole or lower part of the last. Fig. 2 is aview of the bottom of the wedge or upper part, and Fig. 3 a central longitudinal and perpendicular section through the complete last.

At fr and c are shown the two sections of the last. The sole-section r is provided at or near the heel l in its upper face with a recess or depression a, having an oset a', and at one side of the offset is secured an angular striker-plate b, having a flange b. (Shown in plan in Fig. 1 and in section in Fig. 3.) At the front end 2 of the last-section r in its top surface is formed another depression 3, at the rear end of which is secured a staple fm.

In a deep groove d in the upper or wedge portion c of the last is located a long platespring f, provided at one end with a finger Z and at the other end with a nose t', This plate is held within the groove d by a pin h, which traverses the latter and on which the yrear end of the spring (of which the noseis the terminus) is free to slide transversely of the groove d, the front end of the spring being supported by a plate or stop g, which engages a recess g', formed in the bottom of the spring at the junction of the finger Z and body portion thereof, the spring being movable up and down to a limited extent, the stop g preventing the front portion of the spring from dropping below the bottom level of the upper section c of the last. An opening la is formed in the wedge or upper part c of the last to give access to the movable end of the plate f, and an aperture Zt is formed in the spring in line with said aperture in the upper section c.

The operation of the device is as follows: To secure the sections together, the section c is superposed over the section fr. The finger Z of the plate f is then inserted under the staple fm, 'the point of the finger Z bearing on the front depression, the base of which is inclined upwardly, the vibrational play allowed the front end of the plate permitting the staple to be located between the upper section c and the plate. Simultaneously with the insertion of the finger Z under the staple m the nose 'c' of the spring will drop into an oset a of the depression a, the plate being set off to bring it into alinement with the latter part by the insertion of a block or plate f', Fig. 2. When the parts are in this position, a pin can be inserted' in the hole lo to press the plate under the flange of the striker-plate b, and a slight farther forward movement of the upper section c will depress the front end of the spring and bring the nose i to bear strongly against the flange b of the strikerplate, thereby firmly uniting the two sections. To release the parts, a pin or other tool may be inserted into the hole lc to draw the spring aside and in line with the offset a', which will free the latch and permit the sections to be separated. When not in use, it is clear that the parts can be expeditiously united to prevent mismating or loss and can be expeditiously united again for use.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The combination in an article of the class described ,ofthe upper and lower last-sections, a depression d having an offset a' formed in the lower section, a striker-plate b having a IOO flange b secured to the lower section at one side of the offset, a groove d formed inthe upper section,a plate fdisposed in said groove, a pin h secured to the upper section and traversing the groove d and on which the end of the plate can move laterally, a nose 'L' formed l spring-plate, and further means on the lower on the end of the plate and adapted to engage the flange of the striker-plate, and means for secu ring the front end of the plate to the lower section, substantially as described.

2. In an article of the class described, the

combination with. the upper and4 lower sec- L the staple m over said depression, a stop-plate g secured to the upper section and traversing the groove ci, a recess g", in the end of the spring-plate over the stop-plate, the linger Z of the spring-plate beingadapted to be passed under the staple, meansfon the upper section for movably supporting the rear end of the section for detachably engaging said rear end,

i substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in thepresence of two witnesses.

FERDINND CARL HEINRICH CHRISTIAN MLLER.

W'itnesses:`

GUsTAv HEBER, ERNEST H. L. MUMMENHOFF. 

